BolaWrap™ 100 Police “Lasso Gun” Less Lethal Device

Wrap Technologies of Las Vegas, Nevada has introduced the BolaWrap™ 100 less lethal device for law enforcement. The BolaWrap is a hand-held device appearing to be a cross between a large remote control and a flat electric razor, and has earned a nickname of the “Lasso Gun.” Using an easy bush-button trigger, the BolaWrap is designed to propel a Kevlar tether at about 380 feet-per-second (fps) towards the intended target. As the Kevlar tether leaves the BolaWrap cartridge it expands out in a horizontal line. Upon impact with a target the tether wraps around legs, body or arms of the target with enough energy to wrap the target several times, leaving no unused portion of the tether dangling free.

Police use of force is one of the hottest debates in America today, so law enforcement leaders and officers must take note and continue to examine, review, and even modify training and procedures. Along with those reviews, keeping abreast of new technology, techniques, and opportunities to de-escalate dangerous confrontations should be paramount. There are plenty of gimmicks on the market to avoid, so wise police administrators should be cautious when evaluating the newest device or technique. However, occasionally the new idea makes a lot of sense. We’ll dive into the benefits and limitations of the BolaWrap and let you decide.

The BolaWrap 100 seeks to be a less intrusive alternative for police use of force.

Wrap Technologies BolaWrap™ 100

The BolaWrap 100 is a less lethal device designed to restrain potentially violent or actively violent people. As previously mentioned, the BolaWrap 100 can be held in one hand, and is about the size of a large remote control or flat razor. A push button trigger is used to discharge an 8-foot Kevlar tether towards the intended target, and there is a safety lever behind the trigger to prevent accidental discharges. Wrap Technologies uses a half-charged 9mm casing as the propelling force to launch the tether. The 9mm casing blank does not have a bullet inserted, and uses only half the normal powder charge to achieve proper discharge.

As the BolaWrap is discharged the Kevlar tether begins to expand outward into a horizontal line. Similar to ancient hunting bolas, or the bolas used by a pretty famous comic book crime fighter, upon impact with the intended target the Kevlar tether wraps itself around the target several times until completing the wrap. Each end of the BolaWrap 100 has a small treble fishing hook attached to ensure the tether stays in place once the wrap is complete.

Proper use of the BolaWrap 100 could restrain a suspect and assist with a safer arrest.

(2) treble fish hooks at the end of the tether secure the tether once wrapped

Effective range – 10 to 25 feet

Less intrusive means of less-lethal force than some other options

Training requirements are minimal

MSRP: $800.00, Replacement cartridges $30.00.

According to Wrap Technologies the BolaWrap 100 has an effective range of 10-25 feet. The lower end of the effective range is due to the time and distance the Kevlar tether needs to expand properly for wrapping. Targets within the 10-foot minimum range are less likely to be properly wrapped up by the tether, or to have the tether properly secured with the treble hooks, so the efficacy of using the BolaWrap 100 within 10-feet of the target is significantly reduced. At the 25-foot distance the tether is now fighting against gravity, wind resistance, and lost energy from discharge. Targets a few feet beyond 25-feet are less likely to receive proper wrapping due to these factors.

With an effective range of 10-25 feet the BolaWrap 100 is solidly in the intermediate ranges of police use of less lethal force. This places the BolaWrap 100 as an alternative to the widely used Taser electronic control device (ECD), that has become widely used in police forces across America. In fact, Wrap Technologies is advertising their BolaWrap 100 as a tool to be used just above Verbal Commands on a Use-of-Force Continuum. This would place it below even Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray, and obviously below a Taser as well.

Wrap Technologies sees their BolaWrap 100 just above verbal commands on police use of force continuums.

Though I appreciate Wrap Technologies sales pitch placing the BolaWrap 100 so low on a use of force continuum, the Use of Force Continuum they advertise is not accurate for many police agencies. In the midwest where I work the Taser (BolaWrap 100’s primary competition) is not just below lethal force, but is actually in the middle of the use of force continuum. The Taser is often below intermediate striking weapons like batons, and in the middle of the continuum at the same level as soft, empty hand techniques (control maneuvers with joints) or hard, empty hand techniques ( strikes with hands and feet). Placement often depends on the agency’s administration view on the pain level delivered by a Taser.

This is not to say some areas of the country, or foreign police agencies, do not place the Taser much higher on the Use of Force Continuum. In deed, despite the highly successful use of the Taser in many violent encounters, there has also been a high level of public scrutiny and even controversy with the use of the Taser. Despite this, the Taser has been highly effective in preventing violent suspects from assaulting officers or fleeing the area.

However, despite some of the obvious appeal of the BolaWrap 100 I can already see several flaws in the advertised success of a less intrusive use of force. For instance, the BolaWrap 100 does not extend the range of contact between officers and suspects. If an officer attempts to use the BolaWrap 100 a suspect may still be able to assault the officer with a firearm, knife, or by other means. The discharge of a half-charged 9mm casing is still very loud, and could result in “contagious fire” by other officers believing lethal force is justified, mistaken belief by onlookers the officers actually shot the suspect (worse when dealing with a mentally ill subject) leading to uninformed videos or on-site protest of police, and potential hearing damage to the officers nearby.

Wrap Technologies advertises the BolaWrap 100 as being “painless” and causing no injuries, but even the videos show the treble hooks used to secure the Kevlar tether will in fact insert into the suspect’s body and tear skin. These injuries can be exacerbated by an extremely committed violent suspect intent to fight or flee, under the influence of mind-altering drugs, or suffering from the highly problematic excited delirium. Finally, all of the tests of the BolaWrap 100 (at least on available videos), shows the use on non-moving or slow-moving subjects or mannequins. These displays make the deployment appear wonderful and successful each time, but are far from the realities of dynamic movement during actual field encounters.

To be fully informed and prepared for any decision to purchase and use the BolaWrap 100 agencies and officers must consider and weigh the pros and cons of such a device. The next sections will cover the benefits of what the BolaWrap 100 offers, but also some critical limitations of using the BolaWrap 100 as well.

BolaWrap 100 Benefits and Advantages

Easy to train officers on use

Simple method of deployment in the field

Relatively easy for officers to carry on duty (if carry pouches/holsters are developed)

The BolaWrap 100 from Wrap Technologies is an interesting and unique approach to apprehending dangerous or violent suspects, mentally ill subjects, or other resistive subjects requiring restraint. There are definitely some benefits to the concept of wrapping a suspect in a tether to obtain compliance or the inability to continue resisting arrest or fleeing. Using the BolaWrap 100 may also be more palatable to the general public or media than other currently used less lethal devices, particularly for situations involving the mentally ill, elderly subjects, or juveniles.

However, there are still several valid and serious concerns with the application of the BolaWrap 100. To advertise there is no pain in using the BolaWrap 100 is more than misleading, it is simply not true. One of the demonstrations on a reporter clearly showed the puncture wounds to his leg from the treble hooks. This does not even consider the potential for serious injuries or death once a target is wrapped up. The SWAT example was as close to an example of a “running” subject deployment, and when the subject’s legs were wrapped he fell face first to the ground. The demonstrations provided are often very sterile, and fail to provide accurate feedback on real-life examples of deployment on highly mobile, agitated, and determined adversaries.

Despite the lack of reality in the demonstrations, there does appear to be room for the BolaWrap 100 in the overall police use of force approach. There are benefits in overall appearance, and if the deployment ends up with a successful wrap and control of the suspect that is obviously a victory. However, any agency or officer desiring to deploy with the BolaWrap 100 must seriously consider the negative aspects and limitations of the device, and always be ready to switch tools or even escalate the use of force should the offender present a higher level of threat.

In the end, the BolaWrap 100 appears to be another use-of-force option, but by no means a “be-all, fix-all” solution. This means there are viable situations to use the BolaWrap 100, but also legitimate concerns of the efficacy of its success in many dynamic, real-life situations. As with nearly every less lethal technique or device, there will need to be clearly articulated training, deployment procedures, and verbal announcements when using the BolaWrap 100. Similar to the “Clear” or “Taser, Taser, Taser” announcement for Taser deployment, of the “Impact” announcement prior to shotgun launched bean bag rounds, clear and articulate verbal announcements for deploying the BolaWrap 100 will be required as well to avoid any confusion on what use of force is being used.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The BlueSheepdog Crew has not had practical experience with the BolaWrap 100, so our observations and concerns are based upon YouTube videos, and our police experience in the field attempting to restrain, control, and apprehend violent or mentally ill offenders. As we’ve stated, there are definitely good aspects of the BolaWrap 100, but there are serious concerns and limitations as well. When selecting a control device, an agency and each officer should be fully aware of the good and bad characteristics of that device, which we have attempted to objectively deliver here.

Aaron is a sergeant with a midwestern police department, where he serves as a trainer, supervisor and SWAT sniper. In addition to his broad tactical knowledge, Aaron has experience in DUI, DRE and undercover narcotics investigations.